Cross Country Victory

Victory is a brand that, unlike others - unintentionally this brand always reminds us of Harley-Davidson - is not and does not want to be burdened by history in the development and production of its motorcycles. In fact, the first models didn't hit America's roads until 1998. A very traditional appearance is distorted by some technical solutions that competitors in this segment do not yet offer. This, of course, is not about some particularly modern technical evolution or revolution, we are talking only about slightly less common solutions in this segment in the field of cycling and carcass.

The Cross Country model, kindly presented to us for an educational trip by a private person from the vicinity of Ljubljana, is definitely pleasing to the eye. With their abundance of style, impressive sound and most of all their charismatic appearance, you will not go unnoticed on this bike. However, if you look at it closely enough, you'll love the clean, classic lines and might get a little angry about the lack of attention to detail.

I confess I don't have much experience with this type of motorcycle, I was tempted by a few Japanese big cruisers and maybe three or four Harley-Davidsons. And this is with models that are difficult to correctly compare with the Cross Country. While I didn't expect much from Harley, I can say for them that they always left me with unmet driving expectations. Not cross country.

The experience of cycling is very similar to that of Bavarian motorcycles with Telelever, as the 370kg colossus transforms into a spinning moped as soon as it leaves the city. Of course it takes some getting used to and I doubt it is suitable for smaller riders.

This is a motorcycle that you first hear and then see. Forget the quiet drive out of the yard in the morning. Forget the civilized hum of the two-cylinder engine. This is a motorcycle that makes noise. On the other hand, the level of comfort and driving pleasure is incredibly high. The clutch lever needs a firm man's hand, and in the lower rev range the steering wheel throbs as hard as the Hilti trick. A rich dose of standard equipment, which includes a good audio system, automatic turn signal deactivation, ABS, cruise control and some similar equipment, also contributes to well-being.

It is pointless to write about how strong this motorcycle is on serpentines and turns. The Cross Country can deliver a lot more performance than you'd expect, but you won't be asking for it. You will love the fact that most of the wind actually blows at your feet due to the good wind protection. Semi-circular rotation is not a problem, as is slow crawling along the column. But you don't want him to catch you on the wrong foot.

So far I've been writing about facts, but how did Cross Country feel on its own? I learned a lot of new things. The victory made me understand that our rural roads are very energetically suitable for me, that we live in the most beautiful part of the Balkans and that I can completely isolate myself from everyday hardships and joys in one day. First of all, after a long time, I was driving again completely without a goal. Long and late at night. And so it will continue.

text: Matthias Tomazic, photo: Matthias Tomazic